Many photographers find nature to be the perfect subject for photography inspiration. Some even spend their whole career building their portfolio around landscapes, flowers, trees, and all of the beauty the outdoors has to offer. Whether it’s going for a walk in the park to clear your head or planning a big trip into the mountains, there are many opportunities to bring your camera and capture pictures and stories of those excursions.
Lori, an amateur photographer and writer from Oregon, found that hikes and trips with her husband and son into the outdoors provided the perfect opportunity to start picking up the little things that caught her eye and turning them into wild bouquets of nature. She hashtags the photos #mywildposy on Instagram, and they provide a glimpse into the different weeds, rocks, twigs, feathers, and other interesting treasures that you might find along the trail, or even her own backyard during the different seasons.
Collawash River
“I love the textures and colors of different seasons. Even a tiny weed or a small twig with lichen on it can enchant me. I would see different things lying about and see them as a composition.”
In regards to respecting the environment, Lori is very careful not to disturb items in smaller, public places like parks and finds more satisfaction and interesting things in wilder places. She believes it’s always important as a nature photographer to pay attention to how you might affect the surroundings around you when creating images.
Early April yard posy
“Even your backyard grows and harbors beautiful weeds, mushrooms, pine cones, rocks, and the like. You just have to notice. And each branch I hang inside the house or bouquet of weeds I put in a jar is a memory, a certain day with my family or the way things looked at that particular time of year. Perhaps it’s all about the intertwined we are with nature and how being attuned to the rhythm of the season feeds our souls. We NEED nature time. Or perhaps I’m just a sucker for how a decaying dahlia looks, the glisten of wet rocks, and pondering the journey of found feathers.”
Here are a few more of those seasonal photos Lori has taken during her adventures out in nature. It’s just a small project on her Instagram, but Lori finds it gives her something to focus on with her camera as well as helps her appreciate the beauty that surrounds her every time she goes for an outdoor excursion with the family.
Check out more of Lori’s photos and stories on her Instagram and website.
Grape, kale, peony, parsley, mint, oregano, sage, heather, feverfew
High desert late summer
Late February
Morning walk
Parents’ backyard
Riverside bouquet
Roadside
Seaside
September, riverside
The banks of Butte Creek
